The Mediterranean diet is a way of eating that focuses on whole foods and a plentiful amount of good fats. You’ll eat fruits, vegetables and whole grains daily, while including fish, low-fat dairy, eggs and poultry in your meals just a few times per week. Salmon fits into the Mediterranean diet perfectly and offers specific benefits you won’t get from just any type of fish.

Fat Allowance

While following a Mediterranean diet, between 25 and 35 percent of your calories should come from fats, according to the Oldways website. Since fats offer 9 calories per gram, this amounts to 55 to 78 grams of fat daily. Fats should be heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, or MUFAs and PUFAs, instead of saturated and trans fats. MUFAs and PUFAs come from fish, olive oil, avocados and whole grains. Three ounces of cooked salmon give you about 5.5 grams of total fat, most of which is mono- and polyunsaturated.

Benefits of Salmon

Fish and seafood should be your primary sources of protein on the Mediterranean diet. You can have fish at least two times a week. Salmon is a particularly beneficial type of fish because not only is it high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, but it’s also rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s are a type of polyunsaturated fat that reduce inflammation throughout your body. They can help reduce your blood pressure, improve your cholesterol levels, reduce your risk of blood clots, make your immune system work better and protect your heart. For optimal health, you should aim for 800 to 1,000 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids each day, states the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Just three ounces of salmon provide as much as 1,500 milligrams of omega-3s.

Preparing Salmon

Keep your serving of salmon lean by opting for a healthy cooking method. If you’re grilling, coat the salmon fillet with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh cracked pepper and your favorite dried herbs before placing it on the grill. You can even cut out the olive oil all together if you’re worried about getting too many calories. Simply place the salmon over a bed of chopped vegetables and wrap everything up tightly with foil. Place the entire foil packet on the grill or in the oven.

Special Considerations

Some types of fish are high in mercury and can be toxic for your body if you eat a lot of fish. While salmon is generally low in mercury, if you fall into a certain demographic, you’ll want to lessen your intake. If you’re pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to become pregnant, you’ll need to limit your fish intake to no more than 12 ounces per week, reports MayoClinic.com. Elderly adults and children under 12 also need to minimize fish intake to avoid getting too much mercury.